Chapter 60: Spirit's Tower

Owen ran through the amusement park. With the chain from the ride dragging behind him, and the hoard of zombie looking creature chasing after him, there was little room to hide. Since he could not use his blade or magic, he was at a complete disadvantage. He tried the best he could to control the chain.

Every time one of those things tried attacking him from the front, Owen would swing the chain to whip the slimy, deathly-scented creatures to the ground. He continued to run until he saw it, a hoard of them coming from the front. He was trapped with no escape. His surroundings were nothing but abandoned carnival games. The stands looked trashed and worn down. Owen hid behind one of the desks as the hoards closed in. The hissing and groaning of the crowd can be heard surrounding him. He breathed a sigh of relief.

"There is no way that they will get to me now. They can't climb," Owen laughed to himself.

When one of them came up to the booth, however, it hoisted itself over the desk. Owen got scared and backed away. He whipped his chain at it and it fell to the floor in front of him. Owen then stomped on its head, causing blood to explode everywhere. Blood got all over Owen's face as he blocked his eyes from the splatter. He tried wiping his face as he realized...

"They...all can climb?," Owen said as he saw more jousting themselves up and over the desk.

Owen swung the chain and knocked a few of them over, but that wasn't enough. Owen got overpowered by the hoard as it quickly buried him. Each one hissed as he tried his best to push them away from him. He knew this was the end. He was going to die here and there was nothing he could do or say to help. He was powerless and felt utterly useless. All Owen could think of is his mother. Owen stopped and gazed up at the tower.

"I...failed...," Owen said with a sigh.

He put his hand out as though he were begging for assistance when he knew that he would not receive it. It was too late for him. He could not overcome the issue that he was in. He let the hoard take him into their sea claws sank into his right arm as one of them proceeded to bite his shoulder, then everything went black.

When Owen woke, he was laying face down in a pool of blood. He picked his head up and looked around. The hoard seemed to be taken care of since the entire area was filled with lifeless bodies. The hoard that was once surrounding him was now swimming in their own blood. Owen's clothes were soaked in it, as well as there was blood all over his face. He sat up and felt a sharp pain on his shoulder. He grabbed his wound and found that the bite was still there from before and it was bleeding. It was an unbearable pain. He didnt know what he would use to cover this big gaping wound. He just held his shoulder, trying to prevent any more blood from exiting his body.

"Damn it!," Owen said standing and trying to search for his chain.

The chain was nowhere in sight. He looked at the road that he had to trek down. It was lit, bodies and blood littered the area. Owen sighed and turned his attention downwards, as he noticed that his arm was glowing red, but not like the shade of his blade. No, this was different. He looked at his right arm to find a bright red X.

"What the...," Owen said to himself.

He gazed at it for a minute. He held out his arm to try to form his weapon, but no use.

"This is definitely not a blade sign...this is different...,"He said, checking his surroundings.

He stared at the symbol for a bit and stared down the blood-soaked path.

"What...happened...?," Owen questioned to himself, even though he knew full well he wouldn't get an answer.

He tried calling for his blade, but still no used. Owen just held his wound and trekked on through the amusement park. He stared at the tower, his destination, but this was different. The tower had black chains running up and down it. He turned the next corner to find the red tower, dressed in black chains. A straight shot to it. Nothing but him and the tower. He started running gripping his wound extra tight, sprinting so no one or nothing can catch him.

He reached the base of the tower, finally. The nightmare was over. He thought this well. The spirit from the top of the tower jumped and floated through the air until he stood facing Owen. Like before, the spirit's look was firm and serious. The spirit spoke:

"You made it," The spirit said.

"I...I did," Owen replied in relief.

The spirit turned to his tower and touched one of the chains surrounding his tower. The spirit closed his eyes.

"This...this is not my doing...,"The spirit said.

"The chains...? B-but shouldn't it have been you...you were the only one besides me and those...things...," Owen said.

"No...none of them could have done this...," The spirit said. "They listen to me and me alone...,"

"Then...who...?," Owen asked.

The spirit turned to Owen and sighed. His serious look broke into a smile as he gazed at Owen.

"So, you got here in one piece it looks like. That was some display. A chain of all things. I mean I thought you would definitely try to pick up something, but a chain?!," The spirit chuckled. "I like your style, kid."

"T-thank you...," Owen said in a nervously.

"Why are you so nervous? This is a proud moment," The spirit said.

"I...I was supposed to be...dead...," Owen said.

"But! You are not though," The spirit said.

"I guess...," Owen said.

"So, now that you completed the test, let's be better acquainted. Nice to meet you, Owen, my name is Spirit," The spirit said happily.

"S-Spirit? What kind of name is Spirit?!," Owen said in confusion.

"Hey! My father gave me that name, by the way!!," Spirit said.

"W-wait so...that house...it was yours...?," Owen asked.

"Yep," Spirit replied.

"And you were...," Owen said trailing off.

"The mouse!," Spirit said in excitement.

"R-right...," Owen said.

"So... what is the reason you seek my power?,"

"M-my friend is in trouble...,"

"In trouble? But that is for the moment, what is your goal?,"

"T...to be the best...blade...?,"

"Yeah yeah yeah, but how?,"

Owen shrugged his shoulders in confusion.

"W-what?! Nothing? Surely you must have a goal...?," Spirit said.

"I...have no idea of what my goal is. You told me to seek you out and I did, so just let me go home...," Owen said in disappointment.

"Something...troubles you...?," Spirit asked.

"No...I need to go...now,"Owen said.

"You know, all blades obtain powers because they have a drive to do something. A goal to get some where. If you didn't have a goal, then you wouldn't be here," Spirit said.

"My parents had died...I grew up without my father...I just want to know what he was like...my mother died before telling me what happened," Owen said with tears forming in his eyes.

"Well, then there is your goal right there, right?," Spirit said.

Owen looked up at him.

"It seems like this friend of yours is a comrade of yours. You two are on the same team, but he is not very nice. Am I correct?," Spirit said.

"H-How did...," Owen said in shock.

"Looks like we need to get you to Py then," Spirit said as he winked.

Owen smiled and nodded. Tears were streaming down his face. The world around him started to light up. The bright light tore the amusement park apart.

"My power is yours now. Use it to protect the ones you love," Spirit said as he faded.

Everything went white.